FAFSA and PLUS loan timing question - frozen credit affecting application?

The PLUS loan isn't automatically processed with the FAFSA. It requires a separate application that includes a credit check. Your parents having frozen credit wouldn't affect your FAFSA results at all. Definitely wait until you get your acceptance and financial aid offer before applying for a PLUS loan. The school needs to determine your Cost of Attendance and other aid first to know how much PLUS loan eligibility you have. Each school will have different amounts available. Once you're accepted, the school will usually include instructions for applying for PLUS loans in your financial aid package. That's when your parents should unfreeze their credit reports before submitting the application.

my sister went through this same thing. DONT apply now, wait for acceptance. the plus loan is tied to the specific school and each has different costs so u cant apply til u know where ur going

As someone who works in financial aid, I can clarify a few things: 1. The FAFSA and PLUS loan are completely separate processes. The FAFSA determines your eligibility for grants, work-study, and Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized loans. The PLUS loan requires a separate application after you receive your financial aid package. 2. Credit freezes only matter at the time of PLUS loan application, not during FAFSA submission. 3. You absolutely should wait until you receive your acceptance and financial aid offer. Each school will have different procedures for PLUS loan applications. 4. Most schools have PLUS loan deadlines several weeks before the semester begins, so you'll have plenty of time after May 10. 5. When your parents do apply, they'll need to temporarily unfreeze their credit at all three bureaus or the application will be rejected.

wait i thought parent plus loans were automatic if u qualify for financial aid?? now im confused

I tried calling the Federal Student Aid number for weeks about my son's PLUS loan issues and literally could not get through. The wait times were 2+ hours and I kept getting disconnected. Someone on my son's college Facebook group recommended using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to hold your place in line and they call you back when an agent is available. Worked perfectly for us - they have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Just sharing because getting actual answers from FSA was the only thing that finally cleared up our PLUS loan confusion.

Look, I've been through this PLUS loan hell THREE TIMES with my kids. The whole system is DESIGNED to be confusing. The schools don't tell you about the separate application until AFTER you've committed, and by then you're scrambling to get everything done before tuition is due. Here's what REALLY happens: 1. FAFSA determines your kid's federal aid (grants, direct loans) 2. School sends financial aid package showing a GIANT GAP between aid and cost 3. They casually mention "oh btw, parents can take out PLUS loans for the difference" 4. You panic because you didn't budget for thousands in parent loans 5. You apply for PLUS loan and pray your credit is good enough My advice? Call the financial aid office at EVERY school you're waiting on and ASK about their PLUS loan process NOW. Some schools have early deadlines that they don't advertise!

One important thing nobody has mentioned yet: if your parents apply for a PLUS loan and get denied due to adverse credit history, YOU can become eligible for additional unsubsidized loans in your own name. The amount varies depending on your year in school, but it's usually $4,000-$5,000 extra per year beyond your regular Direct loan limits. So if your parents are worried about credit approval, there is a backup option. However, this would only happen if they're actually denied - not if they simply don't apply.

Update: I called the financial aid office at my top choice school and they were super helpful! They confirmed everything you all said - wait for acceptance before applying for PLUS, make sure credit is unfrozen, and they said their deadline isn't until July 15th so we'll have plenty of time. They also mentioned that if we apply for the PLUS loan and get approved, we don't have to accept the full amount offered. We can take just what we need to cover the gap after scholarships and my direct loans. Thanks everyone for the advice! Feeling much less anxious now. 🙏

Great to see you got answers directly from the school! That's always the best approach since each institution has their own specific processes and deadlines. Just wanted to add one more tip for anyone else reading this - when your parents do unfreeze their credit for the PLUS loan application, make sure they do it at ALL THREE credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion). The Department of Education may pull from any of them, and having even one still frozen can cause the application to be rejected. Also, keep records of when you freeze/unfreeze since some bureaus have limits on how many times you can do this for free in a year. Good luck with your acceptance decision! 🤞